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I get most of my odd screws from dead laptops and it really depends whose brand you need screws for.Both HP and Dell like 2.5mm for most of their laptops; but, you also need different lengths. What makes and models are you working on?

This is not going to be of much help for your present need, but over the years I have made a point of removing any and all screws, no matter what size or shape, metric or SAE threads, from any equipment I am ditching. HDDs, video cards, case screws, tiny screws from inside drives and old optical drives that I tear apart, circuit boards, anything. I have a large storage tray full, and usually I can find something that will work when needed. As far as ordering screws from a retailer, I found that useless.

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This is not going to be of much help for your present need, but over the years I have made a point of removing any and all screws, no matter what size or shape, metric or SAE threads, from any equipment I am ditching. HDDs, video cards, case screws, tiny screws from inside drives and old optical drives that I tear apart, circuit boards, anything. I have a large storage tray full, and usually I can find something that will work when needed. As far as ordering screws from a retailer, I found that useless.

Harvesting hardware from scrap units is a habit from four decades of being an E-waste provider for my clients has yielded a score of those needed special size and configuration of the oddest sort. Often I spend a little extra time on those units that are missing screws, nuts and assorted inserts as without the original you're guessing what it needs. Cross threaded captured screws present the biggest headache of recent.

For other purposes (non computer related) where I've needed very specific sizes I've ordered from an engineering firm/fastener specialist on eBay. There are a number of them on UK eBay and surely on the US site too. You need to know whether metric or SAE, thread size and pitch, length, head type (e.g pan head, countersunk hex head etc). Very specialist ones like the "security" screws Apple uses in some of their products (which also need a special tool) can be found in specialised repair kits

Those "special" security screws are just a Torq screw, tiny but effective. The security part comes when they mount a pin in the middle and the allen has a hole to accommodate the pin. The pin can be broken off to allow a regular torq to fit if the security bit isn't available. HP started them on the HP 100 laptops and printer, hard drive units sold in the later 80's.

Torx and security torx screws are nothing compared to Apple's pentalobe and other bizarre screws. It is; though, extremely rare to encounter a laptop that uses torx screws and you can always replace them with Philips heads.

I bought a set of tool heads from a local tool merchant a few years ago containing weird fittings like Allen keys with holes for those pins, torx drivers with holes, 3 bladed instead of the normal four blade crosshead drivers and so on. 32 pieces in all in a soft plastic case 7.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 cm and I think the asking price was £UK 7. They all have a hex end so you can use them either with a small socket driver or with a hand driver.

I've just had a look at it and there is no maker's name on the case or on the tools themselves, but if you ever see one - grab it !

I bought a set of tool heads from a local tool merchant a few years ago containing weird fittings like Allen keys with holes for those pins, torx drivers with holes, 3 bladed instead of the normal four blade crosshead drivers and so on. 32 pieces in all in a soft plastic case 7.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 cm and I think the asking price was £UK 7. They all have a hex end so you can use them either with a small socket driver or with a hand driver.

I've just had a look at it and there is no maker's name on the case or on the tools themselves, but if you ever see one - grab it !

Chris Cosgrove

I believe in collecting tools.

When I was a contractor I'd love having the right tools and gadgets in the place when I'd get jobs that cost a lot, but the tools make it very simple and cheap to do, so the profit would come in higher.